After a protracted controversy over the method of allocating
monies from the Lesotho Highlands Development Revenue
Fund, the government of Lesotho says it is now reformulating
the fund to promote transparency and accountability.

The fund was introduced at the behest of the World Bank
out of the tariffs collected from the Lesotho Highlands
Water Projectís related imports with the aim
of utilising the money for community based development
activities, especially for the rural and those communities
directly affected by the project.

The World Bank is the main bank-roller of the project
which is intended to sell water to South Africa as
well as improving irrigation and electricity production
in Lesotho.

Since the fund started in 1992, the opposition parties,
some NGOs and some individuals have been complaining
that the ruling party of Lesotho, the Congress for
Democracy (LCD), was using the fund for its supporters
and as a ticket for touting membership and buying votes.

A two-day workshop on reformulation of the fund was
held on June 11 and 12 where decision makers from both
governmental and non-governmental organisations were
invited to look into the new strategy to be followed
to avoid another mal-administration of the fund. All
participants agreed that the fund should be renamed
the Social Fund, the name introduced by the government
to dissociate it with the Development Revenue Fund
that has earned itself a bad name.

The introduction statement released by the Ministry
of Economic Development and Planning said: ìIn
June 1997, the government of Lesotho made a commitment
to reformulate the Lesotho Highlands Revenue Fund into
a Social Fund, which will be one of the prime instruments
to reduce poverty in Lesotho.

ìThe government also took an important decision
of involving the community in the process of designing
this community-based Fund for development. To promote
transparency and accountability in the operations of
the Fund, the government agreed that there will be
an Operational Manual that clearly lays down the operational
policies and procedures of the Fund.î

According to the statement read at the meeting, this
Manual will be translated into a local language (Sesotho)
so that it will meaningfully assist the communities
to access the Fundís resources.

Even though the workshop was intended to be that of
an in-depth discussion with the communities involved,
no communities were represented. Only government officials
and NGO leaders. And some NGO leaders complained.

ìWhere are the communities? Are we doing this
in the name of communities so as to get money from
donors? Is it fair to use the label community involvement
when we know exactly that the communities will not
be represented? Have they been invited and how?î
questioned Morapeli Tsíeuoa from one of the
community-based organisations, Bana ba khoale.

To date, approximately M335 million (US$65 million)
has been poured into the fund from the water project
related revenues. About half of these revenues, M152
million (US$29 million), has been disbursed to fund
over 200 projects.

The government says the fund has so far created employment
for about 15 000 persons per month, mainly in the labour-intensive
construction of basic infrastructure; that is construction
of dams, roads and bridges into the villages.

The number of beneficiaries of the fund from 1992 makes
the total of about 1 020 000 people, all of whom were
believed to be members of the ruling party.

All the stakeholders at least agree that while the establishment
of the special fund was intended to be utilised for
improving quality and quantity of services to the population
and reducing poverty, ìits initial operations
have been plagued by managerial, institutional and
financial weaknesses.î

NEWS STORIES:

1. Big maize import necessary to avert disaster

Lesotho will have to import 190 000 tonnes of maize
if it is to avert nationwide starvation caused by inadequate
maize production.

This grave situation is caused by the less than normal
rains which fell in the last farming season, due to
the el-Nino-induced drought which persisted until March
this year.

Although in comparison to the previous year relatively
good rains fell in Lesotho as in other Southern African
countries, some dry spells were experienced from November
to December.

Because of this, Lesotho expects to yield 50 000 metric
tonnes leaving a deficit of nearly 190 000 metric tonnes.
The deficit of food grain is expected to be imported
by major millers in the country.

The Lesotho National Early Warning Unit (LENAWU) estimates
that even if the 190 000 metric tonnes were imported
into Lesotho, it would still leave a further food deficit
of plus or minus 46 600 metric tonnes to square up
food requirements for the country.

The unit also predicts that although the situation is
critical, there is not likely to be immediate food
demand inside 12 months

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
of the United Nations, Lesotho is one of the four Southern
African Development Community (SADC) countries that
are likely to be hit by huge maize importation bills.
Others are Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia.

The four countries are expected to produce below average
maize tonnage. The subregionís crop production
total for the 1997/98 ploughing season is put at 17
million tonnes which is 13 percent above the average,
but 13 percent below the bumper harvest experienced
two years ago.

Countries that are expected to record above average
production are: Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, South
Africa, Zimbabwe and the war-ravaged Angola.

Zimbabwe expects a production of 300 000 tonnes while
South Africa expects an above average yield of 2.3
million tonnes. Countries that expect above average
food yields in the subregion used more irrigation methods
to supplement unreliable rainfalls.

At the global level, a total of 908 million tonnes of
maize is expected to be produced representing one percent
less than the previous yearís yield.

2. State banks on sale

Hundreds of employees of Lesotho National Bank and Agricultural
Development Bank, both state banks, were evidently
caught in shock on June 5. Rumour and corridor talk
on that day was the news that the two banks were to
close down immediately.

It was not the news that the banks were about to be
closed down forthwith that sent shivers down the spines
of employees, but the fact that they were hearing it
for the first time having heard nothing from their
immediate management.

A government gazette released on the same day, Friday
June 5, 1998 signed by the Director of Privatisation
Unit, Mothusi Mashologu, has put the two banks on the
privatisation card.

The gazette says Agric Bank is in a ìseverely
distressed situationî ... and the intention of
the government is to undertake all such actions as
shall safeguard the interests of depositors in the
processing of essential restructuring which may include
liquidation and transfer of certain rights and obligations
of the bank to Lesotho Bank or other registered financial
institutions.

Lesotho Agricultural Development Bank was established
in 1976 as a limited liability corporation wholly owned
by the Lesotho government. This also applies to Lesotho
Bank which was established in 1971.

With regard to Lesotho Bank, the gazette says the intention
of the government is to dispose of the majority of
its shares by a process of restructuring and formation
of strategic alliance prior to public flotation.

3. Why was director of elections suspended?

A concrete answer from the chairman of Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC), Sekara Mafisa, as to why the director
of elections was suspended a few days before the polling
day must surely answer the question of whether May
23 general elections were rigged or not.

This was said by the of United Party (UP) Makara Sekautu,
in an interview with Lesotho On-Line recently.

Mr Sekautu, who have just served a two-year jail term
for being involved in a conspiracy in an attempt to
topple the former Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle in 1996,
said he sincerely believed that elections were 'cooked'
in favour of the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD).

ìOn May 20 this year, at our (political parties)
meeting with Mr Mafisa, after he informed us that the
director of elections, Khothatso Ralitsie, had been
suspended because intelligence reports said he was
directly involved in party politics, I told him (Mafisa)
that it was not enough to just inform us about that,î
Mr Sekautu, who is not accepting the election results,
explained.

Mr Sekautu said: ìMafisa must tell us the details
about the name of the political party and what exactly
Ralitsie was doing for that party. I suspect Mafisa
is hiding something. Why was Ralitsie suspended?î

Asked if he sincerely believed elections were rigged
and if he could produce evidence, Mr Sekautu said there
was no evidence which could prove that elections had
been doctored except the clear exhibit of the suspension
of Mr Ralitsie from the office of IEC at the time when
elections were a stone-throw away.

Mr Ralitsie was suspended indefinitely in April this
year for what Mr Mafisa explained was an alleged open
involvement in the political activities of a certain
party. He did not mention the name of the party. Many
suspected that he was referring to the LCD as it is
alleged Mr Ralitsie belonged to this party.

Mr Mafisa, however, declined to give details regarding
the matter to the media and political parties on the
grounds that the IEC was still investigating.

Mr Sekautuís party, UP, is in alliance with the
Lesotho Labour Party and United Democratic Party. The
three small parties formed an alliance towards the
dying days of the run up to the polling day in a move
political analysts interpreted as a marriage of convenience
merely intended to get some free campaign funding from
the IEC.

4. Disgruntled ministers take up portfolios after intervention

Disgruntled former ministers who boycotted appointments
to low level ministerial positions in the new government,
have succumbed after the intervention by the outgoing
Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kelebone Maope,
and Shakhane Mokhehle, Minister of Natural Resources,
refused appointments for Agriculture and Works respectively.

They were being changed by the new Prime Minister, Pakalitha
Mosisili, whose party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD), has been returned to power by a landslide victory
on May 23.

As a result of their refusal to take portfolios, the
two ministries were left vacant until Dr Ntsu Mokhehle,
the outgoing prime minister and life president of the
LCD, intervened to ask them to take up the portfolios.

The unexpected event sent rumours around the town of
Maseru to the effect that the duo was not satisfied
with the appointments of Mr Mosisili as the new prime
minister and being removed from their posts of foreign
affairs and natural resources. Even though the ministers
have at last taken the oath after Dr Mokhehle intervened,
some observers still suspect the dust has not settled.

Mr Mosisili has also been advised to compromise to avoid
a break by appointing Mr Maope his deputy.

5. Does Dr Mokhehle have a role beyond premiership?

While former presidents and heads of states and governments
in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
are planning to play fatherly roles beyond their departures
from active politics, it is not known whether the ailing
former premier of Lesotho, Dr Ntsu Mokhehle still has
a future beyond his premiership.

Former presidents, most of whom have been used to governing
for more than ten years in their respective countries,
such as Ketumile Masire of Botswana, Mwalimu Nyerere
of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, are reported
to have decided to form their own ëclubí
which will play an advisory role in times of political
crisis in the region.

The informal club, sources told Lesotho News Online,
will be available to African governments for advice
and intervention, especially those in Southern Africa.

Lesothoís former premier (Dr Mokhehle) could
be roped in but it is said his fragile health is a
problem was a comment from a source in the SADC secretariat,
who did not wish to be named.

Despite his fragile health, Dr Mokhehle has already
played a very important fatherly role in the two weeks
following the elections as he continually intervened,
not only to cover the cleavage within the ruling LCD,
but also as a political guide and teacher for his successors.

Observers say even though Dr Mokhehle may not be active
enough to be part of the informal club of former heads
of states and governments in the SADC region, his mere
presence in Lesotho is a great boost.

How the informal club will be accepted is a question
of how each country will consider its former head of
state or government. The club is likely to be accepted
where former heads of states and governments are still
holding the political clout and are still respected
by the incoming governments, such as in Botswana and
Tanzania.

Most of these leaders are lucky to be succeeded by their
surrogates and leaders from the same political parties
they had been leading. For example, it will be easier
for Nelson Mandela because the African national Congress
is likely to continue ruling after his departure. It
is also easier for Ketumile Masire to be accepted because
his party is still ruling. The same thing applies to
Mwalimu Nyerere.

But for personalities like Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia,
for whom life has never been a bed of roses after he
left government, because his administration was succeeded
by the opposition, it is not easy for him to be regarded
as an advisor.

For Dr Mokhehle, the future depends on the political
changes. He will only remain the authority to reckon
with so long as the opposition does not take over in
Lesotho.

6. ëNegotiate or face strike,í union warns

Textile trades unions seek by hook or crooks negotiations
with employers and the government to force them to
consider the meagre minimum wage.

The Secretary General for Lesotho Textile, Clothing
and Allied Workers Union (LECAWU), Billy Macaefa, says
the union is trying to secure a meeting with the Ministry
of Labour and the textile employers to table workersí
demands which include at least M800.00 (US$154.00)
minimum wage per month.

The average wage for textile workers is M480.00 (US$92.00)
per month.

ìWhen we stopped with our strike in March last
year, it was not because we had won or lost the war.
It was just because we were approaching an important
national issue - general elections - which we did not
want to disturb,î says Macaefa.

Textile workers went on strike in February and two workers
lost their lives after being shot by the police during
the strike. At that time they were demanding minimum
wage of at least M500.00 (US$95.00) per month.

Any failure to negotiate or refusal to improve the minimum
wage, says Macaefa, will make a national strike inevitable.

There is no exact time for the possible strike and Macaefa
does not say after how long following negotiations,
which have not started yet, will the strike be called
- if negotiations fail to come out in favour of workers.

7. Punch! Donít tick, BCP advises

In what seems to be apparently influenced by the suspicions
that the past general elections were rigged leading
to the dismal loss of Basutoland Congress Party (BCP)
and other parties in the past general elections, the
party has advised its members in the Moyeni Constituency
to punch holes opposite their candidate instead of
just marking with a pencil.

When giving reports for Qachaís Nek constituencies
at the BCP leadership conference in Maseru recently,
the deputy publicity secretary, Ntja Nchochoba, said
they had advised party members in Moyeni not to use
the provided pencil to tick or a mark with a cross,
but to punch a visible hole opposite their candidate.

The opposition parties believe elections have been scientifically
rigged. They suspect there is a magnetic ointment on
the ballot paper which makes all the marks to disappear
while the pre-marked mark opposite LCD candidates emerges
after some minutes before the counting.

BCP is saying it is going to use Moyeni as a test case
to prove whether there is a scientific magnetism on
the ballot paper or not. If LCDís margin of
4000 to 5000 changes, it might be a proof that the
punching of a hole on the ballot instead of just ticking
has broken the science.

8. BCP members asked to investigate

All Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) members in the constituencies
have been asked to mount deep investigations into suspected
election irregularities and malpractices and report
their findings to the partyís general secretary
before June 18.

The leader of BCP, Molapo Qhobela, told Lesotho News
Online in a telephonic interview that this was one
of the resolutions passed by the leadership conference.

Mr Qhobela said: ìWe had very critical examination
or postmortem of what might have happened in the past
elections.î

He said the special conference thanked the national
executive committee of the party for lodging and appealing
against ìJustice Lebona Kheolaís judgementî
that elections should continue even when the Independent
Electoral Commissionís (IEC) chairman, Sekara
Mafisa, refused to provide the political parties with
provisional votersí lists. And the committee,
in a second resolution, was asked to continue with
the case.

A few weeks before the polling day, three main opposition
parties; BNP, MFP and BCP, lodged an application requesting
the high court to order the postponement of general
elections on the grounds that IEC has failed to provide
them with provisional lists before elections as required
by the electoral law.

Even though the court admitted IEC was wrong by not
providing the political parties with provisional list,
Justice Lebona Kheola did not agree to postpone elections.
He said the political parties could continue with their
case after elections if they still wished to complain.

Now,after the elections, the three opposition parties
are jointly lodging an appeal ìbased on the
provisions of the National Assembly Elections Order
No. 10 of 1992.î

Mr Qhobela said: ìPage 41 Section 22 (3), says
the Director of Elections, in this case IEC, shall
provide a copy of each of the lists prepared under
this section, without charge - to the authorised representative
of each political party.

ìSection 24 (1) says, the director of elections
shall arrange for the printing of - in the case of
general elections - electoral lists for each constituency
not later than 30 days before the polling day.

ìPage 125 Section 99 (a) (1) says the King may
extend time limits in certain cases .... . The King
may, by notice in the gazette either before, or after
any day specified in a proclamation or an election
notice, provide that a general election is to be postponed
from the day or days specified in a proclamation or
an election notice published under section 48,î
Mr Qhobela quoted from the book.

The appeal court is expected to sit any time this month
or July.

9. South Africa eating big from Commonwealth

The announcement by Secretary-General of the Commonwealth,
Chief Emeka Anyauku, that the organisation will provide
South Africa with assistance to develop capacity for
the policies and programmes which will give real meaning
to the principles enshrined in the constitution has
displeased several people in Lesotho.

They accuse the Commonwealth of favouritism saying the
statement made by Anyauku recently in South Africa
has never been made before to any of the 52 Commonwealth
member states.

ìClearly it shows that the Commonwealth is favouring
South Africa,î said Thabo Mokoena who has studied
political science at the National University of Lesotho.

He said: ìAlthough in some little measure the
Commonwealth has offered some crumbs to countries like
Lesotho, the real bread is going to South Africa.î

A group of more than ten academics in a statement said
they fear that South Africa will take everything which
used to be a benefit to its neighbouring countries
in the apartheid era.

ìThe only solution is that we become part of
South Africa..,î one of them said.

Anyauku said that the Commonwealth would endeavour to
reconcile the need for wealth creation and development
with the defence of democratic liberties to achieve
sustainable democratic practices.

He said in order to meet the challenges of the new millennium,
the Commonwealth had sought to provide South Africa
with assistance in developing institutional capacity
for the policies and programmes which give real meaning
to the principles enshrined in the constitution.

ìWe must look towards further cooperation in
responding to the challenges of reconciliation and
reconstruction which still lie ahead,î he told
his audience at a conference organised by the South
African Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the theme; The
Commonwealth and South Africa: Partnership for the
New Millennium.

In the last ten years, the Commonwealth has sent to
South Africa more than 8 000 experts in the areas of
economic, agriculture, industrial and export development,
gender awareness, science and technology, environmental
protection, poverty alleviation and legal advices.

>From 1993, it has sent 270 experts to provide technical
assistance to South Africa.

10. A constituency takes IEC to court

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is to face
a lawsuit rap before June 23 when Basutoland Congress
Party (BCP) committee in the Mokhotlong Constituency
takes it to court to answer for irregularities alleged
to have occurred in that area during general elections
on May 23.

Khotsang Moshoeshoe, the chairman of BCP committee in
Mokhotlong, told Lesotho News Online that the IEC has
to answer some outstanding questions and ìprove
the free and fairî part of the elections.

He said: ìWe are complaining about the preprogrammed
figures of the results of May 23 general elections
which (in Mokhotlongís case) were announced
by the IEC chairman, Sekara Mafisa, on May 24 over
the State Radio ... which do not correspond with the
figures of IECís local office in the district.

ìMy constituency and two others, Senqu and Bobatsi,
have a similar case to table in court. We have consulted
our lawyers about this matter and we hope IEC will
be the first respondent, ... Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD), which has an interest because it has won the
so-called ëfree and fairí elections, will
be the second respondent.î

Mr Moshoeshoe said the constituency of Malingoaneng
in the same district was still continuing with investigations
and he hoped it would join the legal battle before
June 23. Election Order of 1992, according to Mr Moshoeshoe,
allows complainants to lodge their case within 30 days
after the elections.

ìWe also want to know what these international
observers mean by free and fair elections when Basotho
living in the areas of 3000 metres above sea level,
in Mokhotlong, had started queuing from 12 midnight
in a chilling winter waiting to cast their votes at
0700hours,î said Mr Moshoeshoe.